Iten, one of the 12 towns to benefit from the Urban development grant

Twelve Kenyan towns are to receive Sh9.3 billon in grants from the UK’s Sustainable Urban Economic Development Programme (SUED) to give them a facelift aimed at improving their attractiveness to investors.

The grants will be spread over six years and will also help improve vital infrastructure such as water and sanitation.

The twelve fast-growing towns set to benefit from the grant are Bungoma, Eldoret, Kathwana, Iten, Mandera, Isiolo, Kerugoya, Lamu, Malindi, Kitui, Kisii and Wote.
Included in the multi-billion Shilling package will be a Sh4.5 billion seed fund to set up ‘infrastructure and value change’ projects, and Sh400 million for each town in technical support.

‘Climate Resilient’ Projects

In a statement SUED said that the initiative ‘is geared towards supporting market-driven growth’ in the twelve municipalities selected, with the aim of making them more ‘economically viable centres to sustain urban development’.

SUED says it plans to work with the municipalities ‘to help them attract investment for critical climate-resilient’ projects.